Romans 1:
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
The underlying theme of the four synoptic Gospels, as well as the “Gospel” within the NT, is how God became KING of kings – and LORD of lords – in the person and through the finished work of Jesus Christ!
Jesus wasn’t just offering a teaching to be compared to that of other teachers – although His teaching – as it stands, was remarkable. He wasn’t just offering a moral example, although if we want that, His was impeccable.
· He was claiming to do things through which the world would be healed, transformed, rescued and renewed.
He was, in short, announcing Good News, not only for Israel – but for the world, and all of creation.
Once He became King, he didn’t flex his muscles, pound his chest and compare his power to all of the other world rulers that had come before him. His kingdom comes through us, not by OVERTHROWING the powers that be; but by OVERFLOWING the power of the One living in me.
The unprecedented manner in which His kingdom overcame all of the kingdoms around, and continues to this day, is not by show of force – but by demonstration of His great LOVE.
When the Roman governor sentenced Jesus to death, he was proving the whole point – that the kingdoms of this world run on violence & power; but Jesus was declaring:
“The Kingdom of God runs on Love!”
That’s GOOD NEWS!
In one of Paul’s earliest letters he wrote, “The Son of God – loved me and gave Himself for me.” {Galatians 2:20} Many years ago, Albert Schweitzer gave us a strong image of the love of God:
He said, “Jesus was like a man convinced the wheel of history was going to turn in the opposite direction. He waited for this to happen, but it didn’t. Then He threw Himself upon the wheel, and it crushed Him – but it did indeed start to turn the other direction.”
Jesus on the Cross was the ultimate good news – in person.
- When they placed Him in the tomb, they had no idea that He was “the Resurrection and the Life” – wrapped in flesh. “The tomb became the WOMB – that birthed the New Creation.”
His ascension however, is what positioned us in the Heavenlies.
Like a satellite, or a receiver of sorts; we hear Heaven’s message and transmit the GOOD NEWS into the earth. Oh…be careful little ears what you hear…
I watched a video last year - that came across my inbox, from a well-meaning Pastor, of that I have no doubt. In it he mentioned that he read or listened to 40 different news sources every day – in an effort to keep himself well informed. That helped me understand why his message was gloom and doom, with no redemption in it; he’s getting his information from the wrong source.
· I’m not saying to ignore everything around us.
· I’m saying don’t succumb to it; don’t let it change WHO you are or WHAT you know to be TRUTH.
I’m not looking at, or listening to – the earth, in order to know what I should prophesy and declare into the earth; because that wisdom can only come from Heaven.
Do you trust HIM?
{We usually trust Him in our triumphs, but can we also learn to trust Him in transitions or tragedies?}
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep him in perfect {mature} peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
Great peace flows from the understanding of:
Who HE is- a good Father, a compassionate High Priest, a friend, spouse, companion, a redeemer, restorer, etc
How He is- loving, kind, graceful, compassionate, merciful, sovereign, faithful
Where He is- ever present help, near to the broken hearted, never leaves or forsakes you, always at hand, residing within you, revealing Himself through you
Because He is risen, He is also positioned; positioned for maximum influence & impact. As He is, so are we in this world; positioned for maximum influence & impact.
- But how can we have maximum influence and impact à when we’re living life – overwhelmed?
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
The context of John 14:27, and the entire chapter, is the Holy Spirit taking up residence within us, making us the abode of the Father. With His Spirit indwelling us, we are made righteous and we are empowered for Him to think His thoughts and live His life through us!
The preaching of the Gospel has nothing to do with us telling a world what all is wrong with them. Rather, it is telling the world what has been made right through Jesus! In it (the Gospel), the righteousness of God is revealed!
The sound of Good News is irresistable to creation! The sound of it "affects" & "effects" everyone!
